HONG KONG: A Hong Kong social worker has been handed a prison sentence of nearly four years after a retrial linked to the 2019 pro-democracy protests.

Jackie Chen was sentenced this week to three years and nine months in prison after being convicted of rioting by Deputy District Judge May Chung in March. Chen, who had initially been acquitted in 2020, pleaded not guilty during the retrial and chose not to testify.

Chung said in her judgment that as Hong Kong is a society with rule of law, the sentencing imposed by the court must have a deterrent effect.

Chen was originally cleared of involvement in riots that occurred on August 31, 2019, in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. At the time, District Court Judge Sham Siu-man ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.

Three co-defendants—Lai Pui Ki, Chung Ka Nang, and Jason Gung—who were also acquitted in the original trial, pleaded guilty at retrial and were sentenced to 2 years and 5 months each.

Chen was known for her role in the Battlefield Social Worker group during the protests, where she used a loudhailer to communicate between protesters and police, monitor law enforcement actions, and provide emotional support.

Judge Chung referenced this in her ruling, stating that Chen had "encouraged the riot through shouting" and noted her prominent use of the loudhailer. Chung also acknowledged that Chen had been under mental stress from the retrial, would lose her social worker's license, and had worked in the field for several years.

Rioting charges in the District Court carry a maximum sentence of seven years.

Separately, Chow Kim-ho, a former member of the League of Social Democrats, was sentenced to one year in prison for posting seditious content on three social media platforms. He pleaded guilty under the city's national security law.